What on earth is going on with the prices of the MK2 Escort..??

When I was younger and the MK2 was current I had a MK1 Mexico followed by brand new MK2 Mexico, plus several MK1 Escort estates as company cars.  When the MK3 arrived it was a revelation.

The MK3 1.3L estate I was given as my new company car was faster than both the MK1 and MK2 Mexico’s, and that’s acceleration and top speed, and still did more miles per gallon. The MK3 steered and braked better and was much quieter and way more comfortable, just a better car in every respect.

I remember at first putting my 18,000 mile Mk2 Mexico in the garage to ‘save for best’. Three months later I got it out only to realise what an awful thing it was to drive now that I’d become used to the MK3. The MK2 was slow, noisy, tiresome and generally a dissapointment. Why on earth are people paying such stupid money for them? Me and my mates who all had one of some sort couldn’t wait to get rid of them!

I actually shoved my MK2 Mexico back in the garage where it sat for three and a half years, when I dragged it out of the garage with the brakes and clutch seized I couldn’t wait to get rid of it. It was a basic Escort body tub with a 1.6 engine (twin choke carb for some performance LOLOL… performance…. LOL), plus stick on stripes and a boot lid spoiler… oh and Recaro seats. It makes me laugh to think of it now.

The RS2000 was an Escort tub with a transit van engine, and a lump of plastic hanging off the front so that it could have four headlights, oh and Recaro seats, don’t forget the seats.

Whatever next? Ancient Nissan Micra’s changing hands at £50k a go? Classic car dealers must be wetting themselves with laughter. The sad fact is that when this looney bubble bursts some poor schmucks are going to be stuck with £40k worth of awful car with cheapo stripes and some Cibbie spotlights (which will be the best bits on display).  Hilarious… Oh well.

 

....and the point of your rant is what ?

sounds to me like you're just annoyed that you don't still have your old Escorts now to sell for a huge amount of money.  Or is it you fancied buying an old Mk2 now and have just realised how much they are ?

Like many on this forum I also owned lots of Escorts both Mk1 and Mk2 and can look back and think I wish I still had them now. In it's day the Escort was well ahead of it's time, easy to compare it against a modern car and point out all the things it didn't do. Back when the first Escort hit the streets we didn't even have colour TV

 

Steve,

Pehaps you have not seen "Scouting for Toys" and the prices that Lego, and Star Wars stuff get at auction.  It will put the prices for old Fords in perspective !

4 hours ago, unofix said:

....and the point of your rant is what ?

sounds to me like you're just annoyed that you don't still have your old Escorts now to sell for a huge amount of money.  Or is it you fancied buying an old Mk2 now and have just realised how much they are ?

Like many on this forum I also owned lots of Escorts both Mk1 and Mk2 and can look back and think I wish I still had them now. In it's day the Escort was well ahead of it's time, easy to compare it against a modern car and point out all the things it didn't do. Back when the first Escort hit the streets we didn't even have colour TV

 

 

Sorry if I’ve upset you but it wasn't a rant, just a statement of the facts.

Sounds to me like you might be sitting on one that you’ve paid too much money for.  If you are you have my sympathies.

Do I fancy buying one..??  I could sell my E Type Series 2 Roadster I suppose, it’s not perfect but it would fetch enough to buy a MK2 Escort (what a crazy reality that is..!!).  Would I do that..??  Good god no..!!  Who would..??
If I wanted another Escort, which I don’t, it would have to be the MK3 or later for the reasons I described.

I don’t think the Escort was ahead of its time, it was just the next one..  But when the MK3 hit the streets the MK2 was revealed as the poor old wheezing donkey it was. Very much in need of putting out to pasture.  Much like when colour TV arrived, who wanted black and white after that..??

Maybe what I’m saying is a heads up to those who fancy one but luckily haven’t taken the plunge.  If a MK1 or MK2 is you’re dream then take it from someone who lived with them when they were new..!! The dream is much much better than the reality. And forty years sitting around won’t have improved them any. 

If you’ve got that much free cash on hand do yourself a favour and avoid the disappointment.  There are many nice classics that won’t leave you feeling like you’ve made a big mistake.  If you’re still tempted think what else you could do with that much money. If you don’t think about it now you definitely will two months after you’ve bought one.

Might be better off with one of these:

https://mst-cars.com/mk2-fast-road-touring/

 or their equivalent Mk 1:

https://mst-cars.com/mk1-fast-road-touring/

unless absolutely set on an original.

We all remember things differently, but if I was asked to name the Ford I had enjoyed least I would probably say the Escort Mk 3. I was so impressed I went Vauxhall/Opel for several years after that😀.

Sorry... double posted by mistake.

Edited April 29, 20224 yr by Former MK1 and MK2 owner.
Double posted.

3 hours ago, Paulkp said:

Steve,

Pehaps you have not seen "Scouting for Toys" and the prices that Lego, and Star Wars stuff get at auction.  It will put the prices for old Fords in perspective !

Hi.

I've just watched the first episode to see what you're talking about.

I listened to a female member of staff say that someone payed £6k for a Star Wars cardboard toy, a bit a record but it did happen.

I can't help but think it's more of the same.  When those toys were current they were played with until boredom set in and then they were discarded for something new and better.  That one that sold for £6k I don’t think was ever played with at all, that’s how exciting its first owner found it. 

Is it really the people that got bored with them and threw them out now trying to buy them back again at silly money?  Or is it the people that never had them and are confusing the dream with the reality that are paying sill money?

Of course it could be deliberately organised. Once it’s seen that a few bits of junk sell for lots of money there’s a rush by the gullible to grab themselves one before the prices get to high thereby self-perpetuating the stampede. 

Or is it like when the government announce that ‘there’s no need to panic buy petrol’ and whammo long long queues at the petrol stations by people who’ve already got a tank three quarters full.

Have a look at The Tulip Mania, link below, it’s basically ‘The Greater Fool Theory’.  Basically as long as there’s a greater fool following along behind you can get a profit from a tulip, or a cardboard Star Wars toy, or a MK2 Escort.  Just don’t find yourself being the last in the line.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_mania

Regards.

Steve..

23 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Might be better off with one of these:

https://mst-cars.com/mk2-fast-road-touring/

 or their equivalent Mk 1:

https://mst-cars.com/mk1-fast-road-touring/

unless absolutely set on an original.

We all remember things differently, but if I was asked to name the Ford I had enjoyed least I would probably say the Escort Mk 3. I was so impressed I went Vauxhall/Opel for several years after that😀.

Hi.

Perhaps an hour at a track somewhere, but you could do so much better for the money.  And the thought of actually going touring in one <groan>..!!  I think you'd be alright for the first hour but then reality would start to set in and make itself well and truly felt.  Take plenty of paracetamol with you and stop every 45 minutes or so for a rest.

Regards.

Steve.

On 4/29/2022 at 12:15 PM, Former MK1 and MK2 owner. said:

 The sad fact is that when this looney bubble bursts some poor schmucks are going to be stuck with £40k worth of awful car with cheapo stripes and some Cibbie spotlights (which will be the best bits on display).  Hilarious… Oh well.

 

And the bubble will burst in a few years time when you can't get fuel to put into classic cars - give them about 12 years or so maybe? Don't forget, apart from unleaded conversions, you now have E5 v E10, maybe in a few years time E15 etc. Anyone who has watched Vintage Voltage must wonder about the cost and work involved in converting to electric!! In the meantime Im back to the next (repeated) episode of Bangers and Cash!

BTW given the way early Mini prises are (esp rotten-as-a-pear basket job Coopers!) Micra (and maybe Figaro) prices could go silly!

I don't know why people get so rosey eyed over MK1 & 2 Escorts, they drove like rubbish.

I had nearly all MK2 derivatives (except RS1800), they were cheap, noisy and uncomfortable and not very nice to drive.

The Capri was a much better car IMO

Even if I won the lottery I wouldn't go after a RWD Escort

Re the tulip mania comment , that’s how I view crypto currencies.  Anyway - escorts- I recall my brother had a 2 dr mk1 which cost him about a hundred quid. He had to regularly top up oil. Then the bonnet release broke so he just drove it until it ran out of oil and destroyed the engine.  And it went to the car crusher.  2dr mk1 values are crazy. People are even converting 4 dr shells to 2 dr.

The May "Car Mechanics" has a column "In My Humble Opinion", where the author comments on owners of cars that are trailered to a car show, unloaded, then trailered up to take then back to their centrally heated garage after the show.

There is a type of collector that only has ownership as an objective, not actually driving the classic car, so they won't be concerned by the E whatever !